


Sex Education

by Cavatica



Series: Breaking and Entering [4]
Category: Animorphs (TV), Animorphs - Katherine A. Applegate
Genre: 90s Internet Porn, Alien Culture, Awkward Conversations, Cultural Differences, Embarrassment, Family Bonding, Found Family, Gen, M/M, Making Out, Put-Upon Tobias, Reading Erotica in a Public Library, Second-Hand Embarrassment, Sex Talk, Team as Family, autistic characters, frank discussions of sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-10
Updated: 2017-02-10
Packaged: 2018-09-23 09:19:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,614
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9649508
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cavatica/pseuds/Cavatica
Summary: Ax has noticed that humans place a lot of emphasis on sex in their culture. Now that he's dating Marco (or whatever they're doing), the activities seem more relevant to his life. The problem is, he doesn't quite know what's going on when humans take off their clothes on daytime TV.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Scappodaqui](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Scappodaqui/gifts).



Aximili had come to appreciate many things about human culture. Their food was certainly their greatest achievement. But their second greatest achievement was without a doubt the serial drama. His human friends often sounded dismissive when they said the words “soap opera,” but Aximili had learned much about human interpersonal relationships and cultural norms from soap operas.

Humans and Andalites were different. This was an obvious observation; even humans would be able to list several examples of their dissimilarities. One of the most initially alarming and simultaneously intriguing differences was the human cultural emphasis on romance. Other than _These Messages_ , it was almost impossible to find examples of human television that didn’t include some romantic aspect. 

Initially, Aximili had been scandalized. In his culture, there was a soft prohibition on even discussing such matters. Andalite courtship conventions would not generally be characterized as “romantic,” either, even by their own standards. Of course, there were tender aspects in private, but the majority of pair bonding rituals were more about challenging your potential mate, and establishing the exchange as mutually beneficial. This was why Aximili had been drawn to Marco. 

For humans, not only was it encouraged to publicly display such courtship rituals -- it was one of the most important aspects of their culture. Humans valued pair bonding more than career and duty and family. Their rituals were at once complex and completely lacking in subtlety. It was so alien and so fascinating.

It wasn’t just that human romance was so openly encouraged and explored in their culture. It was also so _physical_. In terms of significance to their society and demonstration of skill, kissing was the closest human analogue to tail fighting. Humans did have their own ritualized fighting arts, which were certainly interesting. But in terms of widespread practice and penetration, they didn’t come close to the same level of importance as kissing. 

Aximili had learned a great deal about the proper application of impassioned physicality from _The Young and the Restless_ and other dramas. The creative use of the mouth was certainly the most common practice, and one that was relevant to Aximili’s own favored aspects of human experience. But there were many other techniques he had observed during his research watching daytime drama. Many involved shedding most or all of the layers of clothing and significant bodily friction. So indelicate. So direct. So very human.

Since Aximili had begun openly… doing what they were doing -- Marco didn’t say “dating.” Marco didn’t say any of the words that Aximili had become accustomed to based on his expectations from television. It was coy, and Aximili found that attractive, in and of itself. But since they had become engaged in such matters, Aximili’s fascination with the material had shifted from academic to personal. 

Aximili felt that his initial application of human affection had been executed expertly. He suspected Marco wouldn’t want to hear it, but truthfully, it had helped that he’d experienced human kissing for the first time with another Andalite. It had prepared him for the overwhelming mouth and body sensations, and it had also been sufficient practice for the casual and careless way humans approached such things. Humans frequently switched mates and Aximili wasn’t the only person whom Marco expressed attraction to, so he was prepared for such a contingency. He hoped if he found himself in that situation that all parties would refrain from striking each other across the face. He suspected even in human morph it would be an unpleasant experience.

Aximili liked to be prepared. That’s why it was something of a relief that Marco had so far insisted they keep at least their morphing clothes on -- “We’re fifteen and you’re an alien; for once in our lives, let’s not rush into it” -- because if Aximili was honest, he wasn’t completely clear on what the humans on _The Young and the Restless_ were doing. 

He knew it was sex, which humans engaged in for both recreation and reproduction, like Andalites, although with far more frequency than Andalites. He was broadly aware of the anatomical differences between Andalites and humans, being familiar enough with his human morph, especially recently. But the Andalite way was ritualized, planned, dispassionate. Wholly different from the messy, unrestrained heat of human bodies.

Aximili needed to learn more. He attempted to access the information via the internet, but he suspected what he found was not intended for educational purposes. Aximili typed “sex” into Alta Vista, Marco’s recommended search engine. Most of the results were websites with black backgrounds and many rows of still photos which each took several minutes to load. When they did load, they were all very poor resolution photos of naked women. Not helpful, or even interesting, in his normal body. Unlike Marco, Aximili was not generally attracted to humans unless he was also human. The webpages were also prone to uninitiated redirect and Aximili noticed, after he closed the thirty-three windows that had proliferated unbidden, that unwanted software had attempted to install itself on his system. Of course, he had many security precautions in place, but the experience was frustrating and brought him no closer to understanding human sexuality. 

His tail blade swished with mild annoyance. As usual, humans were characteristically inefficient at cataloguing their information. Aximili knew that humans were more logical when organizing the information that was held in books. And obviously, since human television was largely about romance, it should also hold true that human books would be as well. 

Marco had taken Aximili to the bookstore Borders a few times and had let him select books as gifts. “This kind of date is cheaper and less embarrassing than taking you out to eat,” he had said. Aximili did prefer food to books, but certainly didn’t mind to add to his collection of human reference materials. However, Aximili would feel foolish to have Marco purchase a reference book for sex for him, and Aximili didn’t have any money of his own.

‹Tobias?› Aximili hoped his _shorm_ was in thought-speak range -- it was early afternoon and Tobias frequently went out flying when the thermals were strong.

‹Yeah, Ax-man?›

‹Is there a library nearby?› Aximili knew that libraries were a free community resource specializing in collecting and organizing books. Marco was of the opinion that libraries were lame and boring, but that was probably because they required patrons to be quiet. 

‹Yeah, the Eastside Branch is near enough. You'll need to take the bus if you want to get there dressed appropriately, though.›

‹I see,› Aximili said hesitatingly. He had taken the bus many times, but he had always been accompanied by a human. It wasn’t that he was intimidated by the prospect. There were just many steps and arbitrary rules for where it was appropriate to sit. Aximili was very good at passing for human, but human anxiety and adrenaline were challenging factors when he was already in a difficult situation.

‹Do you need me to go with you?› Tobias asked. Aximili knew his _shorm_ was also uncomfortable in situations that required him to be in human morph and interact with other humans, so he was grateful for the offer.

‹I don’t want to burden you,› Aximili answered evasively. He did want Tobias to accompany him.

Tobias flew down into the scoop and began to morph human. Aximili followed his lead. Aximili was often impressed by Tobias’ superior ability to intuit his true intentions. Most humans were a bit obtuse when it came to subtext.

When he was fully human, Tobias bent down next to the pair of large shopping bags where their human clothes were stored. Rachel had recently brought them newly purchased sets, uttering with playful annoyance that the fit would be better if they would come shopping with her. Tobias had ribbed back that they would fit perfectly, because she was Rachel. He had been correct.

“Here, turn around,” Tobias beckoned when Aximili had put all the items on the appropriate body parts -- an expert execution of his knowledge of humans. “Let me get the tags for you.”

While Tobias pulled and snapped various bits off him, Aximili ran his tongue over his teeth and the roof of his mouth, delighting at the mild tickling sensation that elicited.

“Can we eat? Ee-tuh?” asked Aximili as Tobias looked him up and down for final approval. It reminded Aximili of passing grooming inspection at the Academy.

“At the library? Nah,” Tobias said. “Maybe after? I’ll check our funds.”

Counting a crumpled roll of bills pulled from Aximili’s desk, Tobias seemed satisfied, and they departed. Aximili waved to Cassie as they passed her on their way through her family’s farm. She jogged over to walk next to them, wiping beads of sweat from her forehead.

“Hey guys! What’s up?” Cassie smiled up at Aximili, open and earnest.

Cassie’s eyes crinkled at the edges when she smiled, reminding Aximili of his own people. Most of his friends smiled infrequently these days, and when they did, the expression usually didn’t reach their eyes. This was most evident in Prince Jake, but Aximili had correlated that when Marco’s smiles reached his eyes, he was planning something. Marco’s smiles were rarely actually happy smiles.

“Ax wants to go to the library. Wanna come?” Tobias asked.

Aximili frowned. It would already be an awkward indiscretion for Tobias to know what Aximili wanted to research. At least Tobias was his shorm.

Cassie looked up at Aximili, a canny expression passing across her face before her smile returned. “No, thanks. I’ve got tons of work to do. But let me know next time, okay? Have fun.”

They didn’t have to wait long for the bus and Aximili was relieved when Tobias paid the fare and led them to a pair of inoffensive seats. Aximili definitely could have navigated this situation himself, but even though Tobias was shifting on the edge of his seat and looking upwards out the window, Aximili knew he was more comfortable than Aximili with human conventions.

“Thank you -- kyuu -- for assisting me,” Aximili said.

“No problem,” Tobias said, glancing at Ax and then back out the window. “Did you have something specific you wanted to find, or are you just bored?”

“Yes,” Aximili answered. Sometimes if you responded to humans in an unclear manner, they got confused and did not ask followup questions.

Squinting, Tobias looked back at Aximili. “Okay.” Aximili’s technique had worked.

Silently, they rode the bus through several stops. Tobias was shaking his knee up and down next to Aximili’s. Marco sometimes also performed this motion. Aximili surmised it was nervous energy escaping, like restless eye stalks or a twitchy blade. 

Tobias stood abruptly while the bus was still moving and lurched forward as it stopped. “This is it.” 

It was a short walk from the bus stop to the library. Tobias turned his face up to the sky while they walked, his eyelashes glinting white in the sun. His particularly delicate human features contrasted sharply with the hawk body to which he had become more accustomed. Aximili mused that Tobias wore his hawk form like a suit of armor. Living the hard life of a predator shielded Tobias’ softness from the world. Aximili never got to know Elfangor well, but he wondered if he too hid vulnerabilities behind his legendary heroism. Aximili wanted to believe Elfangor had been like Tobias, and that if they’d had a chance to become close, his brother would have been a person with weaknesses. He wished Elfangor was more real to him.

Tobias brought them to a stop in front of a squat white building pleasantly shaded by trees and bushes. They entered through a line of glass doors and Aximili was pleased to see rows and rows of shelves full of books, just like the libraries on television. Certainly he would find what he needed, surrounded by so much information.

Aximili followed Tobias, who seemed to know where he was going. They stopped in front of a shelf under a sign that indicated the books in that section were related to Natural Sciences. Was this also the section Aximili was looking for? Tobias pulled a book off the shelf he’d been poring over. Aximili peered over his shoulder at the cover. _The Sibley Guide to Birds_. It had a red-tailed hawk on the cover. Aximili felt a smile spread across his lips. Tobias noticed Aximili’s expression and his pallid, diaphanous skin flushed pink from his collarbone to the tips of his ears. 

“It’s supposed to be a really good guide -- it just came out. I just wanna see how accurate it is.” Tobias gestured over to an empty table in a far corner. “I’ll be over there. You need help finding anything?”

“I believe I can handle it. Leev. Vvv.” Aximili glanced around at the thousands of books surrounding him, thinking he might not actually be able to handle it.

“Okay, well, the card catalogue is over there, if you want something specific, and that librarian has worked here for years; she’s really nice.”

“You are familiar with this place,” Aximili observed.

“Yeah, this was my library. I used to spend hours a day here. Seriously, let me know if you need help.”

“I will,” Aximili assured. 

Tobias sat at the table he had indicated and began reading his bird guide. Aximili looked back to the shelf Tobias had retrieved his book from. It was labeled “598 Birds”. The shelf above was labeled “597 Cold-Blooded Vertebrates”. Human taxonomic classifications for the life on Earth were deeply flawed. For instance, Andalites had fur, but obviously did not nurse their young and were therefore not mammals, but nor were they birds or reptiles. Aximili could accept that humans did their best to classify nature based on observation and the limitations of their science, but in practice their classifications were largely arbitrary. 

The next shelf to Aximili’s right was labeled “599 Mammals” and Aximili scanned the titles of all the books in the section. None were about humans, even though humans were mammals. Aximili crossed his arms over his chest as humans did. Of course. Humans did not consider themselves animals. Another illogical division based on nothing empirical. 

Aximili looked up at the signs over each section. He hesitated on “Social Sciences” as a possibility before he spotted “Romance” in an entirely different part of the library. He twisted his body and nearly tripped when his right ankle hooked on his left leg, but he had become very good at balance in his human morph. He took two very large steps and his upper body pitched forward, but he did not fall. The few humans in the library had noticed his maneuver and he suspected they were impressed.

Aximili looked up and down the row of shelves in the Romance section. As he suspected, there were many more books about romance than birds. He wasn’t sure where to begin. It was especially difficult because most of the books seemed irrelevant to Aximili’s experience. The books had titles like _Undercover Lover, To Lasso a Lady, Temporary Girlfriend, Passionate Captivity, and Another Chance for Daddy._ About half of them were about marriage or weddings, which Aximili thought was jumping to conclusions. 

Aximili picked one called _Rebel in Disguise,_ because at least it seemed applicable to his situation -- he was no longer a completely allegiant Andalite and his human morph was a disguise. When he read it, he found that it was actually about a woman who worked in a bank and had been seduced by a man who lived in a recreational vehicle with his dog. It was not particularly romantic or educational. Aximili put the book back where he got it.

He picked another, skimming it disinterestedly before putting it back. It took several tries before Aximili selected a book that was even as graphic as an episode of _The Young and the Restless_. Even the books with more explicit passages seemed to be missing key information and weren’t exactly instructional. Aximili started to get a feel for which titles and cover styles had more relevant scenes. Even though the sex scenes in the books were generally brief and euphemistic, he did start to put together a rough picture of what was supposed to happen, insofar as the mechanics. Engrossed in a particularly detailed scene, he leaned his shoulder against one of the stacks. He startled himself when he felt his own fingers brush his cheek. Puffing out a sigh, Aximili closed the book, feeling slightly warm and exposed. He tucked that book under his arm to go back to later. 

He picked out a few more that he felt were detailed enough to be educational, but was noticing a frustrating trend. The featured couples were all male/female pairs. Aximili was sure some of the behaviors were applicable to his own situation, but he felt like it was a glaring oversight. Such a gap in his knowledge would make the whole trip fruitless. He knew humans had some cultural stigma surrounding same-gender attraction, but surely books existed about the subject for reference purposes.

He skimmed a few more books then sighed again. He stacked the ones he had selected to peruse at greater length and held them to his chest, peeking around the corner of the bookcase to the reference desk. The librarian Tobias had indicated was herself reading. It didn’t seem he would be interrupting if he asked a question. Convincing himself it was not in violation of his own custom if he was not currently an Andalite, Aximili stood in front of the librarian. 

She glanced up at him over her glasses and smiled kindly. “Can I help you with something?”

“Yes?” Oddly, Aximili felt tightness in his throat and felt the need to cough lightly. He did so and continued. “I hope so. Hope-puh. I have been reading the books in the Romance section. Sek-shun.”

The librarian blinked rapidly and her mouth became tight even though she was also smiling in a way that made her cheeks dimple. “Yes?” 

“The books are all about romance featuring partners of different genders. Gen-derrr. Are there any featuring partners of the same gender?”

The librarian’s face went from light brown to bright red and she pulled her lips into her face, still smiling through this odd contortion. Pushing her glasses up her nose, she placed a marker in her book and walked around to Aximili’s side of the counter. 

“Yes,” she said quietly. “They’re in a different section. Let me show you.”

Aximili followed her to the Social Sciences section -- ah, his first inclination had been correct, after all. She directed him to “306 Gay and Lesbian,” which had fewer books than “598 Birds.” Humans were so mysterious. 

“Why are they in a different section? And why are there so few? Yew?”

The librarian looked up at Aximili questioningly and he suspected that he had momentarily done a poor job being human. “I’m sorry. The Central Branch has more selection. We’re working on it. I’ll bring it up to the Senior Librarian,” she said gently. “Is there anything else I can help you with, sweetie?”

Aximili looked back to the single shelf of books. “No, thank you.”

She left him to his own devices and he examined the titles. These books were largely different from the Romance section, in that most of them were fact-based accounts of history and statistics. He gave himself a quick course on the history of the gay rights movement, but that wasn’t what he was there for. There was a selection of about twenty fiction books, and he decided to just read them one by one in a row. The trend here, compared to “Romance” was fewer stories about marriage, more about cowboys.

After skimming the tenth book, Aximili inflated his cheeks with a puff of air, frustrated. These weren’t what he was looking for. Each story seemed to be about the hardship of same gender attraction, the difficulty and danger of coming out to one’s loved ones, or the AIDS epidemic. Aximili began to feel sorry for humans. Besides being a child soldier, Marco had apparently gotten very lucky, since he was not yet dead or disowned. Very few of the books contained details about sex, and the ones that did were even more veiled and evasive in their language than the heterosexual Romance books. He took them anyway and sat down across from Tobias in a huff.

Tobias looked up from a different book about birds and read the titles of the books Aximili had set in front of him. Tobias’ expression was neutral as ever but he did tilt his head to the left and smack his mouth like it was dry.

“How much time do we have left?” Tobias asked.

“Forty-six minutes,” Aximili said, pursing his lips and flipping pages. He was disappointed with his yield.

“We should go soon.” Tobias’ eyes scanned the titles of Aximili’s books again. “Um. Do you need to check those out?”

“I do not have a library card. Carrrd. D-duh.”

Tobias took a deep breath and gathered the books into his arms. “We’ll use my account. Don’t forget to bring them back, I don’t need late fees for… _Bare Boned_.”

Tobias took the books up to the counter and the librarian smiled brightly as she took cards out of the backs of the books and stamped them. Her eyes settled on Tobias as she pushed the stack of books back to him. A flash of recognition transformed her face.

“Tobias! Where have you been?” She didn’t say it in the way humans said when they were “catching up.” She said it with concern.

“Oh.” Tobias looked away, flushed, and scratched at the skin on his arm, leaving angry streaks. “I moved across town. Different branch. Sorry I never visit.”

“That’s fine,” the librarian assured. “Is everything okay?”

“Yeah,” Tobias insisted, his eyes darting around like he was searching for an escape. He grabbed the corners of the books and pulled them into his chest. “I gotta go. It was nice seeing you again.”

The librarian placed a hand gently on Tobias’ and leaned forward to whisper, “Your boyfriend is very cute.”

Tobias blanched, his already pasty complexion becoming ghostly. “He’s not my boyfriend! He’s my cousin! He’s just visiting! Goodbye!”

Tobias shoved the books at Aximili who, unprepared, nearly dropped them. All the books were covered in slick plastic sheets and kept slipping out from between each other. Aximili continued to nearly drop them as Tobias shoved him away from the reference desk. He juggled the books until Tobias pressed him up against the door to open it -- the door squeezed the books into him and Aximili managed to stack the books securely and hugged them to his chest.

Tobias walked quickly ahead of him at a pace that was difficult for Aximili to keep up with. 

“Are you offended that the librarian thought we were romantically involved? Rrrro-man-TICK-lee.”

Tobias glanced inscrutably back at Aximili and slowed down to let him catch up. “I mean, no, not really. She was just one of the only people who ever cared about me and now she thinks I’m dating my uncle. And apparently that I’m very interested in erotica. Not that she’ll ever see me again, I guess.”

“Are these books shameful to humans?”

“Uhh.” Tobias turned his face toward the sun again, glowing in the light and squinting against it. “Well, I don’t know that you should be ashamed. I guess they’re embarrassing.”

“I see,” Aximili said. “Humans are confusing. Zing.”

“Why?”

They stopped talking long enough to board the bus and take their seats.

“The rules regarding this particular topic are complex. I can watch ‘steamy’ scenes on daytime television, but I should be embarrassed to read these books. And the books that feature males with other males are kept apart from the other books of a similar nature as if they are quarantined. Quo. Run-teen. In my culture, you just don’t speak of any of it. It is simple.”

“Not even to your parents?”

Aximili cast a sharp look at Tobias. “You would speak of this with your parents?”

Tobias scratched at the underside of his wrist. More streaky red marks joined the ones he’d created before. “Well. Not _me_. But I guess some people would.”

Aximili went silent, reeling with the horrible human feeling of his stomach spiraling into a pit. He hated being the source of the discomfort Tobias often experienced. They were both quiet all the way back to the forest where they demorphed. As soon as he was a hawk again, Tobias took to the sky.

‹Are you upset with me?› Aximili asked, the stack of books heavy in his slender Andalite arms.

‹Nah,› Tobias said, circling overhead. ‹I was just drained. I need to fly for a while. Enjoy your, uh, books.›

Aximili returned to his scoop and placed the stack of books next to his computer. He turned on one of _These Messages_ for background noise, although it was his least favorite genre -- the compilation CD set. He probably would never grow accustomed to the discordant sounds of human music. 

Now that he was in his own body, the passages he was studying weren’t as enthralling. In human morph, his body had responded to the scenes with an increase in temperature, breathing, and heart rate. As an Andalite, it was much easier to absorb the information objectively. 

He worked his way through the books, noting which acts seemed to be optional (“foreplay” of various types) and which consistently occurred (some kind of penetration). Almost always, one or both parties “came” and none of the books really explained what it meant. That generally ended the encounter, so Aximili thought whatever it was should more properly be called “went.” He was exasperated that he had gone through so much trouble and still had unanswered questions.

He was finishing up _The Hole Hog_ when he heard Tobias return to his usual tree. He was loath to bother him any more, especially without the excuse that violating Andalite social conventions was only acceptable in human morph. At the same time, he felt like he’d wasted an entire day and all he’d learned could be summed up with “thrusting.”

‹Tobias?›

‹Yeah, Ax-man?›

‹May I ask you a question?›

‹Shoot,› Tobias invited.

‹What does it mean to ‘come’?›

Tobias was silent for more than an Earth minute.

‹Tobias?›

‹Ax-man… Are you trying to learn about sex from romance novels? Like, is this sex ed? You’re not just… having fun?› Tobias’ thought-speak came in bursts as if he were in pain.

‹No, I am trying to learn,› Aximili confirmed.

‹Okay then, one, those aren’t instruction manuals. They’re for entertainment. And two, I am _not_ the right person for this. I cannot have this talk with you, man. Like, you need an adult.› He paused. ‹At this point _I_ need an adult.›

‹But there are no adults. I trust you more than anyone,› Aximili said dejectedly.

‹And I appreciate that, and that’s why I’m telling you, not me, man. I’ve been a hawk for two years; I’m not a good authority on this subject,› Tobias said. ‹Why don’t you talk to Cassie? She’s the closest thing to an adult we’ve got.›

‹Cassie is not my _shorm_ and this is already difficult to talk about,› Aximili lamented.

‹Well, yeah, it’s difficult for everyone to talk about, but you know Cassie, she’s not going to judge you,› Tobias said gently. 

Aximili sighed, still bothered by his questions, but resolving to leave Tobias alone with regards to this topic. It clearly made him just as uncomfortable as it made Aximili. He wondered if it was somehow some ingrained Andalite part of Tobias and felt comforted by yet another thing they shared.

It was late afternoon and Aximili knew that Cassie would be administering medications to the animals in the Wildlife Rehabilitation Clinic. Perhaps if her attention was divided, she would not fully absorb the awkwardness of the situation. Humans were easily distracted. As an expert on animal health, she could surely provide accurate physiological information while her primary focus was on other tasks. 

Aximili morphed human in case Cassie's parents were in the barn and hurriedly redressed. Again, he placed all the articles on their respective parts appropriately. This time, he did not take the care to button the buttons of the outermost layer of upper body garments. Rachel had purchased many layers for him to put together like a puzzle. He had already mastered her challenge once. 

Aximili was unable to keep his hands still as he walked the familiar path from the forest to the barn. The rush of human adrenaline was strong and it took a great act of will for Aximili to not turn and run back to his scoop. He needed to learn, he told himself. He would know about this basic human function before he was expected to perform it. He was very good at being human. This would be no exception.

Cassie was on her knees, talking softly to a coyote, whose face was cradled gently in her hands. Aximili paused in the doorway to watch her stroke its head, then peel apart its lips, revealing its dangerous maw. She squirted a tube of medicine down its throat. The coyote’s lips curled and its tongue shot out, lapping several times. Cassie cooed that the coyote was a good girl, kissed it on the head, and slowly closed the cage door.

Cassie stood, brushing her hands off on the front of her overalls, and turned to Ax. She smiled again and Aximili already regretted allowing Tobias to talk him into this. He shifted his feet and moved his hands between all the various pockets in his clothing.

“Is something wrong?” Aximili read Cassie’s expression as concern. Her facial expressions were easy to interpret because of her larger eyes and sincere manner. She and Marco were opposites in that way. In a romantic partner, the style of Marco’s guarded ambiguity was more appealing. But Aximili did not like to have emotional discussions with Marco. That was easier with Cassie.

“Yes,” Aximili said. 

He wished Cassie would continue treating animals instead of standing next to him and touching his wrist. Her hands were rougher than Marco’s but much warmer and evoked feelings of comfort instead of attraction. Though Aximili’s body still reacted with an increase in temperature and heart rate. Human bodies were so imprecise. How could they even tell they were aroused when every emotion had the same general effect? Another question he could ask Cassie, if he managed to ask her anything at all.

“Is it something I can help with?”

“I have been attempting to learn about human sexuality and Tobias told me to ask you,” Aximili blurted.

Cassie’s eyes became round and showed the whites all the way around her dark brown irises. Her mouth became very small, then she opened and closed it, but no sound came out. She looked around as if they were about to morph and were checking for her parents. Taking Aximili’s hand, she led him to a rough-hewn bench on the inside of one of the empty horse stalls. Aximili was relieved for the increased illusion of privacy even though they were already alone.

Cassie took a deep breath and squared her shoulders. She looked Aximili directly in the eyes, which made him uncomfortable. Eye contact could have many meanings in his culture, but rarely were they low-pressure. She smiled and this time it did not reach her eyes. 

“Okay,” she said, her voice steely like when she was presenting them with a new, dangerous animal to acquire. “Wheeew, I can do this. Okay. Sex. What do you want to know?”

“What does it mean to ‘come’?” Aximili asked again.

“Oh god,” Cassie squeaked and buried her face in both hands.

“This is a very offensive question, but it is in all of the Romance books Tobias helped me check out from the library,” Aximili moaned.

“Oh.” Cassie put her hands on her cheeks and pressed her lips together. Now she was smiling with her eyes. “Poor Tobias.”

“I am sorry I bothered you. I will give up on learning this.” Aximili started to stand, but Cassie caught him by the wrist and pulled him back down.

She blew out another deep breath. “Okay, what do you know about human reproduction?”

“Sex initiates the process. Somehow. For Andalites, it is achieved through prolonged exposure to a hormone released only during a specific pair bonding ritual. I sus -- susss -- pect it is not the same for humans.”

“Well, I guess it’s kind of similar. Messier.”

“Characteristic,” Aximili said, and Cassie giggled despite herself.

Cassie proceeded to describe the egg, the sperm, and the process of fertilization, which included an explanation of various slang terms for ejaculation. Aximili couldn’t help but think that Marco, who laughed every time Cassie uttered a curse, would have paid to hear her breathlessly list “come, orgasm, get off, climax, spooge, jizz...” -- either that, or he would have paid to never hear that. 

“If ejaculation is a process that triggers pregnancy, and that is not the end goal of most encounters, why is it emphasized in the books I researched?”

Cassie closed her eyes tightly so her face wrinkled toward the middle. “Because it feels good? Like, uh, it’s called ‘climax’ because it’s the release of tension at the end, and it feels really good?”

Aximili had mixed feelings about how difficult his friends all found this conversation. He had learned from television that sex was an important and prominent aspect of human society. But so far, everyone he had interacted with was uncomfortable about it. He had thought humans were very different from Andalites in this regard. What did it mean that human media presented sex as glamorous and sought-after, but in person, all the humans he knew treated it like it was awkward and disconcerting?

“So all sex is an attempt to reach the goal of orgasm?” Aximili asked.

“No!” Cassie answered emphatically. “No, it’s not really like a romance novel. It’s complicated. There are a lot of things you can do, in different orders, and it doesn’t all have to lead to the same endpoint. Not everyone likes the same things or orgasms every time. The most important thing is that everyone involved enjoys it. So, communication. That’s the goal.”

“I see,” Aximili said. “You’re saying my research is flawed?”

Cassie grinned. “Romance novels are about as true to life as soap operas, so yeah.”

“What? I have learned much from soap operas.” 

Cassie laughed. “Soap operas and romance novels kind of oversimplify things to appeal to the broadest audience.”

She proceeded to explain that there were many different kinds of sex, that not every encounter was focused entirely on “thrusting,” and the difference between the orgasms of people with various genital configurations. By the end, Aximili was reeling with information overload.

“This is so complicated,” he said. “How do humans learn it?”

“Well, personally, I know because my parents are vets,” Cassie explained. “I got the sex talk pretty early because of the animals.”

“You have not personally done these things?” Aximili was aware it was a very invasive question, but he was so far gone, he was already going to be performing the forgiveness ritual everyday for the next week.

“No!” She covered her face with her hands again, then placed them in her lap, clasping each other. “No, sorry. But if you want an experienced teacher, you _could_ talk to my parents.” She grinned in a way that reminded Aximili more of Marco than herself.

“No! Why do humans want to discuss such things with _parents_? How horrifying. Tobias said so too. Toooo.”

“That’s interesting,” Cassie noted. “I was kind of joking, but if you did want to talk about anything with my dad, you really could.” She raised her eyebrows. “It’s chili night.”

Aximili immediately felt his salivary glands become overactive. He had had much practice consuming meals with his friends’ families. But rarely had the food been as memorable as Cassie’s father’s chili. It was almost unkind of her to offer, knowing he would not be able to decline. Aximili nodded, even though his instincts told him he was going into a dangerous situation. 

“Hey, before we go have dinner with my folks,” Cassie said. She put her hands flat around Aximili’s shoulders and pulled him into a hug. She felt warm and strong and reassuring. Aximili wondered if he could actually feel the sharp pulse of adrenaline quell in his blood, or if that was his imagination. “Thanks for trusting me.”

Aximili was confused. Properly, he felt he should be thanking her since she was the one who provided him with the information he was seeking. Sometimes humans performed their own rituals backwards.

“Just so I can get my lies straight,” Cassie muttered distastefully as they crossed her farm to her house, “What’s Marco calling you with his family?”

“Ax,” Aximili said.

“Oh, that’s honest of him.” She sounded surprised.

“My cover story -- kuv-verrr -- is that I am an exchange student from Germany,” Aximili offered.

Cassie looked up at him skeptically. “Of course.” They stopped in front of Cassie’s house. “Okay, I’ll talk to my dad and prep him on your ‘situation’ and if you think of something you want to ask him, do it after dinner. You don’t have to, but he’ll be prepared. Also remember, you were Jake when you last had this chili.”

“I remember. I will be sure to enjoy it as if it is my first time,” Aximili assured her.

“Oh boy. Okay, here we go.” 

Cassie opened the door and when Aximili stepped inside, the smell of delicious food hit him like walking into a wall. He couldn’t control the smile of anticipation that divided his face.

“Mom? Dad?” she called, pulling muddy boots off and tossing them into a muddy shoe pile by the door. Aximili looked down at his own feet, wondering if he should also remove his shoes, which weren’t muddy. He had not taken the time to put socks back on. In Marco’s family, they teased Marco’s father for never wearing socks. Aximili elected to keep his shoes on.

“In here, Cassie!” came Cassie’s father’s voice and Cassie motioned for Aximili to wait.

She exited through a door on the left and Aximili stood in the front hall, still taking in the strong smell of spices. After a few minutes, Cassie called for Aximili to join them in the kitchen, where she was standing next to her father at the stove.

Cassie’s father turned away from whatever important food task he was performing to look over Aximili. He crossed the kitchen, his expression kind and open like Cassie’s. Aximili had met her father already, but he had to pretend he hadn’t, because he had been Jake. Aximili smiled back.

“Nice to meet you, Ax. I’m Walter.” Cassie’s father offered his hand to Aximili and the handshake was itself almost like a hug -- warm and with just the right amount of pressure to be reassuring. Cassie’s father walked back over to his food and scraped the items he had been cutting into the large bubbling pot of chili on the stove. “Cassie, your mom’s staying late at work. I think she’s just trying to get out of chili night.”

“Don’t worry, we’ll save her some.” Cassie leaned up against the counter, watching her father’s hands as he worked. “Do you need help with anything?”

“Only setting the table -- I’d say this is about ready to eat.” He stirred the pot in slow, circular strokes. Aximili swallowed in anticipation. “Ax, I hope Cassie warned you. This is some real five-alarm chili. You’ve never had chili this spicy.”

“No, you are correct,” Aximili agreed. “I have never had this chili. I have never been here.”

Cassie shook her head as she set silverware at three places on the table. She put a glass of water at each place and brought three bowls to her dad, who spooned generous portions of chili in. It was as delicious as the first time Aximili had had it, but because he had to pretend he hadn’t, he acted surprised.

“This is delicious!” he exclaimed between large bites. He also made sounds of appreciation like “MMM” and “ahhh,” which he also said because of the burning sensation that was causing his mouth and nose to go numb. The most delicious foods caused human faces to become moist from almost every orifice. Aximili sniffled in the way his friends did when they had a common illness called a cold.

Marco’s step-mother Nora had taught Aximili how important wiping one’s face was (even though Aximili had engineered a situation where Marco would usually do it for him, Marco would not do so in front of his family). Aximili used the napkins Cassie had laid out to dab at his leaking eyes and nose.

Cassie’s father grinned. “I think Ax might like my chili more than Jake! How do you keep finding such high quality gourmands?”

“You know me, Dad. Only the most discerning friends will do.” Cassie did not employ the technique sarcasm as often as Marco, but Aximili believed he detected the signs.

“May I have more? More-ruh?” Aximili stood enthusiastically, knowing that Walter had encouraged him to have more portions previously. However, he was unable to make that assumption again, because he was pretending to have never joined them. Aximili was detail-oriented.

“Of course!” Walter looked overjoyed. Aximili wondered if Cassie’s father took pride in caring for the needs of other humans in the same way as he did animals.

Aximili had another bowl in the same time it took Walter to finish his first and for Cassie to eat approximately half her portion. Cassie had refilled her glass of water several times and eaten a slice of bread. She was also crying slightly. 

“Well,” Cassie said, gathering her dishes and the several napkins she’d needed to dry her face. “I’ve been working really hard and I think I need a shower. Ax, will you help my dad wash up?”

“You sure you had enough to eat?” Walter asked, smiling up at her.

Cassie smiled back at her father and whacked him gently on the shoulder before leaving Aximili alone with him. Aximili swallowed again, this time because he was nervous. Walter maintained his kind, neutral expression. Even though Aximili did not want to discuss the topic of sex with anyone’s parents, Cassie’s father at least made the task seem less appalling. 

They collected the used dishes and Walter filled one side of the sink, showing Aximili how to rinse, dry, and stack the dishes on the rack. They fell into a comfortable rhythm of Walter scrubbing and Aximili rinsing and drying. Marco had once asked Aximili to help him fold laundry and this task reminded him of that -- simple and methodical. It was soothing, in a way, to clean up the messes of human existence.

“Cassie tells me you’re staying with a host family,” Walter offered.

The plate he was drying slipped out of Aximili’s hands and back into the water.  
“Yes.”

“It must be hard being so far from home,” Walter said. “I’m a good listener, if you had anything you wanted to talk about.”

Aximili dunked the plate into the water several more times. He realized Walter had given them a task to perform as a distraction and appreciated his handling of the situation. He had hoped for such a scenario with Cassie. 

“I am… in a relationship.” Aximili used that word out of expedience even though Marco didn’t use that word. “It may become sexual. I am concerned I am unprepared.” Aximili’s stomach was full of still-burning chili and he was suddenly very aware of how heavy he felt. 

“If you don’t feel ready, you can always say no. If the person you’re with doesn’t respect that, they’re not respecting you and you need to talk about it. Don’t let anyone pressure you.”

“I am not being pressured. I believe I am the one who is more interested,” Aximili said honestly, admitting something he hadn’t yet admitted to himself.

“Have you talked about it?” Walter took the plate Aximili had been drying for several minutes out of his hands and placed it on the rack so that he could hand him a new bowl.

“It is a _very_ uncomfortable topic and my…” Aximili searched for a word. “Boyfriend. Is difficult to have a serious conversation with.”

“Understandable.” Walter nodded. “But what if he’s feeling the same? If you’re both nervous, you can talk about it and figure out where the other person is at on it.”

“That is sensible, but if he doesn’t want to discuss something, he will refuse to take it seriously.”

“If that’s the case, then he’s probably not ready, but do you think he’ll definitely shut you down if you make it clear something is important to you?”

Aximili considered. Marco made jokes about their impending deaths weekly, so it wasn’t as if any topic was too serious for him. But he could also be brought to a fine point of deadly focus. Aximili thought it probably depended on how important the topic was to Marco himself whether he would take it seriously or not. “It depends,” Aximili answered finally.

“Well,” Walter said, “There’s no rule that you have to have sex. It may feel like everyone your age is doing it, but that’s just the media. The reality is a lot more complicated and it’s a big decision to make at your age.”

Aximili wanted to say, “Yes, it is a much bigger decision than whether we should attempt to infiltrate another Yeerk operation at great risk to our lives and the fate of humanity as a whole.” He did not say that. He did say, “How do you know if you should?”

“You can’t. You can think you’re making the decision for the right reasons and then regret it later.” Aximili understood this completely and felt that it was applicable to many situations. “That’s why it’s so important to talk about this stuff.”

They had finished all the dishes and were now leaning against the counter next to each other. Aximili felt compelled to look at Walter, but was again overcome with embarrassment and looked at his feet instead.

“You have had sex,” Aximili observed. He knew this to be fact since Walter had reproduced at least once.

Walter laughed. “Yeah, a couple times. I might remember.”

“Is it really that great?” 

“I won’t lie, it can be pretty great. But it can also be pretty weird or awkward or bad. It depends on what you do and who you do it with. How well you know each other. How many times you’ve done it. How much time you have before work.” Walter laughed at his own joke when Aximili didn’t. “But it’s not everything. It’s not the end goal of life. Not everyone even likes doing it.”

Aximili hadn’t considered it was possible that humans might feel that way. Television made it seem like everyone wanted sex all the time. “What if one person likes it and the other doesn’t?”

“Well, there are a lot of other things you can do instead that they might like, like just using your hands or your mouth, but it’s possible that someone might not want any of that. If that’s the case, but you still want to be with that person…” Walter shrugged. “Guess you take care of things by yourself.”

Aximili squinted at Walter. He hadn’t realized that it was possible to have sex alone, although after his educational day, he could conceive of how it would be simple. “Do people do that often?”

Walter rubbed his hand over the thinning hair at the top of his head and blinked at Aximili. “Everyone’s different. I’d say most people do it regularly.”

“I see,” Aximili said. He felt like Cassie and her father had both provided him with so much useful information, his mind was swimming. He couldn’t think of any more questions. “Thank you for talking to me. It has been very difficult to discuss with my friends.”

“Yeah, it gets easier when you’re my age. Everything’s embarrassing as a teenager.” Walter put a hand on Aximili’s shoulder and squeezed gently. “You out of questions?”

“I believe so.”

“Well, feel free to call or visit again if you think of any more. Open door policy. Before you go, I’m sure school has drilled safe sex into you, but do you have any questions about that?”

Aximili frowned. “What is unsafe about sex? Can you hurt yourself if it is too vigorous?”

Walter laughed, holding his stomach. “Oh boy. Yes, actually, but I’m talking about sexually transmitted diseases and pregnancy. I’ll be right back.”

Walter left momentarily and returned with a small box that said Durex in his hands. He handed it to Aximili.

“You can have these. I know you’re with a boy, so it might not seem as important, but you should always use protection.”

Aximili turned the box over in his hands. “This is protection? Tec-shun?”

“They’re condoms. You really must have fallen asleep in health class, huh?” How did he know that Aximili sometimes fell asleep in class? Aximili felt his face grow warm. “Sorry, no judgment. When you’re about to have sex, you put a condom over your penis and it catches the semen so you and your partner don’t exchange fluids. It protects you from pregnancy and disease. Practice at home.” 

“Thank you. This seems like an important oversight in the materials I studied.”

“They must not have been very thorough,” Walter said.

“No. I am very disappointed in _The Young and the Restless._ ” Walter made a confused face, but Aximili was close to the end of his morphing time. He needed to leave. “Thank you so much for your help. I will let you know if I have any more questions. Please tell Cassie goodbye. I must get home before my curfew.”

Aximili walked quickly back to the forest, demorphed, and took his clothing and his box of condoms back to his scoop. Intrigued, he opened the box -- struggling a bit with his less powerful Andalite hands -- and separated one small packet from the roll. He opened it and unfurled the cylindrical balloon, holding it up by the tip for closer study. It was slippery and very stretchy. 

‹Looks like you got a pretty good lesson. Came with prizes,› Tobias commented.

‹Yes,› Aximili agreed. ‹Thank you for convincing me to see Cassie. I feel much more informed. And only mildly mortified.›

‹No problem,› Tobias said. ‹Let me know anytime I can push you off on someone else when you get awkward.›

‹You are a good _shorm_ , Tobias,› Aximili said sincerely.

‹Thanks, man, you too.›

 

Marco had invited Aximili over to his place for Saturday afternoon video games three days later. They played _Super Smash Brothers_ until Peter and Nora left to go watch a movie. When the sound of their car faded into the distance, Marco immediately shut and locked the door. They weren’t supposed to lock the door, but Marco always did before they started “messing around.”

Aximili had been hoping to discuss things with him when they were alone, before the messing around started, but Marco had Aximili’s face in his hands before Aximili could say anything. Aximili was sitting on the edge of the bed still, and Marco stood in front of him, Aximili’s knees between his thighs as they kissed. Marco nibbled at Aximili’s lower lip as Aximili slid his tongue against Marco’s inside his mouth. Aximili brought a hand to the base of Marco’s neck and turned his head so he could kiss and suck at Marco’s neck and ear. Aximili knew Marco was sensitive in this area and he felt him shiver and go slightly slack. 

This only lasted for a moment. Then Marco slid into Aximili’s lap, wrapping his legs around Aximili’s waist. Aximili nibbled and kissed the edge of Marco’s jaw, his fingers threading into Marco’s hair. He closed his fingers into a fist, gathering together the hair at the base of Marco’s neck. Marco drew in a sharp gasp of air -- a stimulating sound. Aximili used his grip on Marco’s hair to pull his head back and expose more of his neck. He continued to trail his teeth along Marco’s neck until he reached the center, where Marco’s collarbone and the muscles of his neck formed a well. He placed a kiss at the top of this area, then dipped his tongue in, running it up one side of the muscle, down the other, and back in.

Marco growled, pulled his head forward, and tipped Aximili’s head back up to him, claiming his mouth again and driving his tongue deep against Aximili’s. Their breaths alternated in and out of each other, warm when their mouths were locked together, cool when they pulled apart. Marco pressed his chest against Aximili’s driving him down into the bed. Marco settled his thighs around Aximili’s hips, their stomachs together. Aximili definitely understood the hot, tight feelings in his lower body better after his lessons about sex.

Marco rubbed the pad of his thumb into Aximili’s cheekbone as he bit and sucked at the side of Aximili’s neck roughly. Aximili knew he was leaving marks that would be morphed away when they were finished. Marco relished the lack of consequences. 

Aximili let his hands wander down to Marco’s thighs, gripping him where his legs met his hips. Aximili pulled Marco into him, grinding up against Marco. Marco’s fingers turned into claws in Aximili’s hair and he groaned, pressing his forehead into Aximili’s neck.

“Fuck,” Marco hissed. 

He resumed nipping at Aximili’s neck, his thumbs encircling Aximili’s ears. He rotated his hips and bore down against Aximili, rubbing against his erection through their clothes. Lights exploded behind Aximili’s eyelids. Marco’s breaths were rough against his ear as Aximili continued to drive their bodies against each other, his hands on Marco’s hips, pressing them together.

“If you don’t stop, you’re going to make a mess and I don’t have more clothes for you,” Marco warned, his voice more breath than tone.

Exerting control over the situation, Marco shifted so he was no longer straddling Aximili. Aximili groaned. Marco laughed breathlessly. He put a hand on Aximili’s cheek and turned his face so they could kiss, this time slower. Winding down. Catching their breath.

Marco stopped kissing him to appraise the marks he’d left on Aximili’s neck, his hand resting in the crook of Aximili’s shoulder. Aximili felt the heat and tension draining from his lower body. The nerves where Marco had touched him were still on fire, oversensitive. It seemed harder to concentrate when he was more aroused, but the haze gradually dissipated. 

“I obtained condoms from Cassie’s father,” Aximili stated. 

Marco shot upright, staring at Aximili, his brows furrowed in confusion. “ _What_?”

“In case we should ever want to use them. It would be inconvenient not to have them,” Aximili explained.

Marco squinted, lips parted, baffled. He slithered up and over Aximili’s chest to get to the other side of the bed. Marco wrenched open the drawer on the table next to his bed, grabbed a box, and dropped it onto Aximili’s chest. Aximili scooted into an upright position to examine the box in his hands. This one said Trojan.

Snatching the box back from Aximili, Marco replaced them in the drawer and closed it. “I’ve had those since we started this. My dad bought them, like, as soon as he found out about you. I don’t know if he thought you were so hot, there was no way I could control myself, or if he thought that my dad secretly stashing condoms in my underwear drawer would make me never want to have sex ever.”

Aximili bit back a grin. “Was it the latter?”

Marco snorted. “It’s kind of hilarious that _you’re_ the eager one.” 

“Sometimes human instincts are difficult to control,” Aximili said, crossing his arms. 

“Uh huh. How’d you end up getting condoms from Cassie’s dad? Instinct?” 

Aximili recounted the day for Marco, who bit his lower lip to hold back laughter, looking like he was receiving a gift. “I learned a lot,” Aximili concluded.

Marco shook his head. He twisted his hand into the collar of Aximili’s shirt and pulled him down for another brief, rough kiss. Then he pushed against Aximili’s chest without unfisting his shirt, separating them.

“I am _so glad_ that you didn’t ask _my dad_ for sex advice. It would have been really sad if I’d had to murder you.”

“You would not have had to, because I would have died of shame,” Aximili said dryly. 

“I’m not gonna lie and say I wanted to explain the birds and the bees to you,” Marco said. “But we _can_ talk about it. It’s not that weird.”

“Do you think you’ll want to soon?” 

“I promise you’ll be the first to know,” Marco assured. 

His lips quirked into an unseemly smile. He edged up to Aximili and placed one hand on his cheek. The other he snaked around Aximili’s neck, scraping his short fingernails along Aximili’s spine down the back of his shirt. Both actions elicited a wave of chills and shivers; Aximili let out a wavering sigh. “Sounds like you learned about more than just sex, though. I wouldn’t mind reviewing with you.”

**Author's Note:**

> I asked [Scappodaqui](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Scappodaqui) what Ax POV scenarios she'd like to see and this was the first thing she said. And then she made sure it happened. And then it got out of hand and became kind of huge. Pun intended? Anyway, thanks Scappodaqui and [LilacSolanum](http://archiveofourown.org/users/LilacSolanum) for the betas and encouragement.
> 
> Feedback appreciated, as always. Join me on [tumblr](http://acavatica.tumblr.com) for more of whatever I'm doing with my life. These choices I'm making.


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